Unexpected Consequences
by Keinami
Summary: Chapter 8 and rewrite of chapter 1 are posted. Ban decides that he and Ginji would get more attention from the ladies if they pretend to be gay. But how much is pretend? SLASH BG, JK
1. The Plan

**Title:** Unexpected Consequences

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary:** Ban and Ginji decide they aren't getting enough attention from the ladies, and Ban has a plan… SLASH! Future BanGinji, present JuubeiKazuki

**Notes:** Chapter is rewritten. Hopefully it doesn't look like crap any more. I'm sorry that I took out "There's no one I'd rather be gay with!", because so many people liked that line, but it didn't fit in the rewrite.

"Why do girls hate us, Ban-chan?" Ginji asked quietly after being slapped (once again) by a girl he didn't know for trying to pick her up. Despite their attempts, neither he nor Ban had gone on a date in… well, neither of them could remember the last time.

"Maybe they hate _you_," Ban replied, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. If he was completely honest with himself, he would admit that Ginji was right. It seemed that their approach just wasn't working. But how? How could two single studs like themselves _not_ attract attention?

"You haven't been having any luck lately either," Ginji replied.

"...I just haven't seen a girl that was hot enough. I could have anyone, if I was really trying," Ban scowled, opening the car door. This, too, was a lie. Some of the girls who had ignored his advances were downright gorgeous, and he had been trying his hardest. Especially that gorgeous blonde…

"What are you talking about? Don't you remember yesterday at the Honky Tonk?" Ginji asked with a sadistic smile. "There was that really cute blond girl-"

Ban clenched his fist. If Ginji wasn't his best friend…

"-and you tried talking to her, but then she went over and asked out Kazu-chan! And it's not like it's the first time something like that has happened." Ginji continued, undeterred by the angry look on his partner's face.

"What do they see in that damn Ito-maki?" Ban asked. Perhaps the biggest injustice in the world was the fact that girls flocked to Kazuki. He didn't even have to try. Meanwhile, men like himself and Ginji used every technique they knew, and still got laughed at.

"Girls have always liked Kazu-chan, even when we were still in VOLTS. Of course Kazuki never even thought about it, he just let them down gently," Ginji replied thoughtfully.

"He doesn't even look like a real man!" Ban scowled. Between his complete lack of understanding of Kazuki's appeal and his inability to find a place to park for the night, he was becoming more and more frustrated.

"Ban-chan, that's mean!" Ginji whined.

"You thought it too, when we were at the hot springs!" Ban replied, defensively. The more he thought about it, the less it made sense. Why would such a feminine looking man get so much attention from women? He found himself becoming more confused than annoyed.

"Maybe a _little _bit, but Ban-chan-"

"Why does he always bring that damn porcupine with him everywhere, anyway? And on a trip to the hot springs… If I didn't know any better I'd think they were…" Ban trailed off. He knew what he was saying was totally ridiculous, but really, what business did two men have, being that close if they weren't involved?

"You'd think they were what?" Ginji asked innocently.

"You know…" Ban sighed. He really hoped he didn't have to explain the concept of homosexuality to Ginji.

"No I don't. Tell me Ban-chan!" Ginji cried, tugging on Ban's arm.

"Ah! Get off of me! Can't you see I'm driving, you idiot?" Ban yelled.

"Oops. Anyway, you'd think they were what?" Ginji said, completely ignoring Ban's insult.

"Gay." Ban said, glancing at Ginji, trying to gauge his reaction. It wasn't anything they'd ever talked about, and he had no idea what Ginji's opinion on the matter was.

"Um…" Ginji started. He coughed.

Ban continued driving for a few minutes before he looked over at Ginji. He raised an eyebrow.

"Well…" Ginji trailed off.

"_No!_" Ban shouted, slamming his foot down on the brake pedal. The realization had hit him like a bullet. It suddenly seemed so obvious. How could he not notice that they were always together, that they were always watching out for each other? Hell, they lived in the same apartment where they probably had kinky mansex every night. The more he thought about it, the clearer it all became.

"I thought you knew." Ginji looked at him sheepishly.

"How the hell was I supposed to know if no one told me?" Ban fumed, although he suddenly felt like an idiot.

"Have you- I mean the way they act-did you think they were just being friendly?" Ginji asked, surprised. Ban ignored him.

Ban suddenly heard honking behind them and started driving again. He felt a dull ache in his temples. It all made perfect sense. Sure, it made sense that Kazuki would care for his childhood friend, but they really didn't need to spend that much time with each other. The smile that Kazuki never gave anyone but Juubei, Juubei's drive to protect Kazuki… it was so obvious. It was suddenly clear why Kazuki turned all the girls down. All of their attention was completely wasted. But of course, when the girls were there Juubei was usually there too. Shouldn't the girls understand? They always sat so close…

Suddenly, his thoughts became much clearer. _Of course_ girls liked Kazuki. He was always dressed so neatly, he showed such compassion towards his blind friend. But could it really be that? Women didn't like sensitive men. What if they knew he was gay? Men love lesbians, he realized. There was nothing hotter than knowing that a woman had been involved with another woman. It's like a woman sandwich. Double your pleasure! So of course…

"Ginji, I think I have an idea," Ban said suddenly. Surprised, Ginji turned to him.

"What?"

"I think I know why girls like Kazuki."

"Why?" Ginji asked.

"Guys love lesbians. It only makes sense that girls would like gay guys," Ban replied. Ginji dtill looked confused. "Haven't you ever noticed how well yaoi sells?"

"I… I never thought of it that way," Ginji replied. It all seemed so reasonable. "It seems like such a waste."

"But what if there were guys who only pretended to be gay, just to get girls?" Ban asked. His plan was becoming clearer and clearer.

"Then… then they'd get all the girls!" Ginji replied. Why hadn't men thought of this before? It was completely foolproof! "Ban… we should be those guys! Nut… but where would we find two guys willing to play along?"

Ban raised his eyebrow. He didn't think Ginji was that idiotic.

"There are already two of us," Ban stated. He was going to need more cigarettes; this was already stressful, and they hadn't even begun.

Ginji contemplated this for a few seconds before turning to Ban.

"B-Ban-chan!" Ginji replied, alarmed.

"What?" Ban snapped.

"But you're.. you're you! You're my best friend; that'd be gross!" Ginji cried. He loved Ban, but not like _that_. He couldn't imagine anything more awkward.

"Would you prefer find some pervert off the streets? I'm sure Akabane would be willing," Ban replied. He knew he had Ginji there. The other boy froze.

"How could you even suggest that?" Ginji said, an accusatory look in his eyes. Ban certainly knew the easiest ways to press his buttons. "I guess it'll have to be you."

"I don't like it either, but it'll work." Ban replied. His stomach was suddenly feeling strange. He probably should have tried to find something to eat at the club.

"Let's do it," Ginji said, suddenly "Let's go back to that bar and-"

"We can't yet!" Ban sighed, exasperated. It was just like Ginji to try and rush into things without planning first. "We need to practice first."

"Practice?"

"I mean really, who would believe _we_ were gay? We've got to learn how to act gay first."

"That is pretty ridiculous," Ginji said with a grin. Ban couldn't agree with him more.

"Exactly. After wooing the ladies for so long we can't just switch. We need to practice so the act is believable." Ban said.

"Definitely," Ginji replied. Ban parked the car. "But how are we supposed to learn how to act gay?"

"Like I'd know. Maybe we should do some… observation," Ban said. He hadn't really thought ahead that far.

"But where are we going to find two gay people?" Ginji asked. It wasn't like it was exactly common, or anything.

Ban raised his eyebrow.

"_Oh_…"

End of Chapter One


	2. Testing Boundries

Notes: Unfortunately, this chapter is short and the next one probably won't come until Thanksgiving Break (the fourth weekend in November, for any non-American readers). I've got a lot to do, and I need to get a job soon. I'm also not used to writing a multi-chapter fic, so this might wind up very delayed. Sorry!

Thanks to: Giara Gryffindor, tigermink, AbstractConcept, Vampy-chan, Sawamura333, Bluediamond, Constances, and of course Amanda, as well as any future reviewers. You guys made my day!

Chapter one review:

"But where are we going to find two gay people?"

Ban raised his eyebrow.

"_Oh_…"

Chapter 2

"So should we head over there tonight?" Ginji asked.

"No, I'd really prefer _not _see what they do at night," Ban replied, reaching over to pull a blanket out of the glove compartment.

"Ban!" Ginji exclaimed. "I'm sure Kazu-chan and Juubei haven't… Well, I mean, it's been a while, and I guess- but no!"

"…Just go to sleep, Ginji," Ban said, turning over on his side.

Ginji turned over to face the window. He tried to find a comfortable position to sleep but couldn't. He knew he wouldn't be able to get much sleep that night, anyway; he just had too much on his mind. He'd never really thought much about homosexuality. Juubei and Kazuki were happy; he really didn't care about the details. But he and Ban? It was just too weird to think about.

Besides, he liked girls, right? They were soft and warm, and they smelled nice. Come to think of it, Ban smelled kind of nice, too. Like cigarettes and rain. And he was pretty warm as well. But nothing about him was soft. Ban was all hard muscles and hard words. Still, nobody had ever made Ginji feel safe like Ban had. Ban might have been a little rough on the outside, but Ginji knew that Ban would never have stayed with him as long as he had if he didn't care about him. Ban was strong and smart, and above all else he was Ginji's best friend.

_Maybe this gay thing won't be so bad_, Ginji thought. _Ban would probably be a good lover… if I was into that. But I'll try anything once- for the ladies, of course._

"Hey Ban?" Ginji whispered.

"What the hell do you want? I was just falling asleep," Ban scowled.

"I'm sorry Ban. I was just thinking…" Ginji started. He was glad it was dark. Ban would laugh at him if he saw him blush.

"What?" Ban snapped. "I don't have all night."

"I thought maybe… maybe we could start being- being gay tonight," Ginji said, embarrassed.

"Gross, Ginji!" Ban exclaimed, recoiling.

"No, no! Not like that! I mean, you know… never mind," Ginji replied, turning back over to face the window.

"Come on," Ban said with a sign. He brought his legs up onto the seat and pulled Ginji towards him. He lied down. Ginji followed immediately, putting his head on Ban's chest and blushing bright scarlet. Ban's arm snaked around his waist.

"Now shut up and go to sleep," Ban said.

"Okay," Ginji whispered. Within minutes he was fast asleep.

Ban stared at the ceiling. He just couldn't seem to fall asleep, and it had almost nothing to do with the blonde lying asleep across his chest.


	3. Seriously, you forgot the strings?

Notes: The next chapter will probably have to wait until around Christmas. I'm going to try to make the chapters longer though. Really.

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Ban woke up the next morning feeling two elbows digging into his chest. Ginji was leaning over him, grinning madly.

"Hi, Ban-chan. It's eleven already. We should probably start heading out soon." Ginji said cheerfully.

"I can't go anywhere until you take your damn elbows off me," Ban growled.

"Sorry," Ginji said with a sheepish laugh. Ban pushed him off. "Ow! What was that for?"

Ban scowled and reached over to find his cigarettes in the glove compartment.

"We're going shopping," he announced, finding there were only two left.

"…Maybe you shouldn't smoke so much, Ban-chan," Ginji said, looking at the floor.

"It's got nothing to do with you," Ban snarled.

"Maybe it does now," Ginji said softly.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, I mean, if we're going to be gay… Maybe I don't want you kissing me with your ashtray mouth." Ginji boldly replied.

Ban gaped at him.

"What? How is my smoking any worse than the way you scarf down food? What could make someone want to be straight more than that?" Ban yelled.

"You can't taste the way I eat!" Ginji shouted back.

"Wanna bet?" Ban roared. He pressed his mouth firmly against Ginji's.

Ginji had always thought he'd never be surprised by anything again. He thought he'd lived through everything, and anything that came along would be far from new. But being kissed by his best friend in the middle of an argument? He'd been kissed by a lot of people (girls, really) in his life, and it had always felt good. He'd liked kissing girls, and he'd never even thought about Ban like that.

So why did it feel so good?

It was a little awkward. Ban's glasses had slid all the way down his nose and were bumping Ginji's cheek. Then, suddenly, Ban's tongue was in his mouth, and he could taste the nicotine. He had never really disliked Ban's smoking, and had secretly found the smell comforting. But the taste in his mouth?

It was so… Ban.

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Ban was having one heck of a day. First he woke up with Ginji's elbows stabbing him in the chest (Ginji was bony as hell, so this _hurt_). Then Ginji started harping at him about smoking. He figured he needed something to keep him sane if he was going to hang around with Ginji all the time. And now, for no reason at all, he had his tongue halfway down Ginji's throat.

He only knew one thing: this was gonna be a hell of a lot easier than he'd thought.

Ginji reluctantly removed his mouth from Ban's a few seconds later.

"I, uh, thought we should practice," Ban said, although he didn't sound very convinced himself.

"Yeah, good, practice… so are we going to go talk to Juubei and Kazuki now?" Ginji replied, slightly breathless. He wiped his lips off with the back of his hand.

"We can't talk to them about this! Besides, we're supposed to observe them in their natural environment. We can't have them knowing we're watching!" Ban said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "So where do they live, anyway?"

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Half an hour later they arrived in front of Kazuki's apartment complex. It was in a surprisingly good part of town, considering neither Ginji nor Ban knew if either Kazuki or Juubei had a job. Ginji had always assumed between the two of them they had enough inheritance that they didn't need to work, but he'd never thought to ask. He wasn't even sure Kazuki still lived there. He'd been talking about moving, knowing it would be difficult for Juubei to navigate the 15 story building with out his sight. The elevator didn't have Braille (which Juubei still hadn't mastered anyway), so Juubei often wound up trying to put his key in a door on the wrong floor. Ginji explained this to Ban.

"How do you not know if he still lives here?" Ban scowled.

"It's not like he can call us!" Ginji replied angrily.

"…So what floor are they on, anyway?"

"11, I think."

Ban and Ginji walked around the back of the building. Ban pulled down the fire escape. By the time they got up to the 11th floor both were tired.

"Okay Ginji, which one is theirs?" Ban panted.

"I don't know! I can't tell unless I have the numbers. Let's just… look in a few windows."

"So we don't even know if he lives here anymore, let alone which room he would if he did. Great," Ban sighed.

"Ah, here they are," Ginji stated, looking into the window directly in front of him. There were curtains on the window, but they were pulled back to let light in. Kazuki didn't own many lamps. Kazuki and Juubei were sitting on the couch. They were talking. Kazuki had a book sitting next to him, as though he'd been reading, but put his book down to talk to Juubei.

"What are they saying?" Ginji whispered.

"Shhh!" Ban hissed. Both pressed their ears against the window.

"…and I heard from MacubeX yesterday," Kazuki said.

"Oh really? When did you talk to him?" Juubei asked.

"This is normal stuff! When are they going to do something interesting?" Ban hissed.

"Talk is such a strong word," Kazuki said, pausing briefly. "I have a thread by his place. I listen in every now and then. Speaking of listening in…"

Ginji and Ban found string wrapped tightly around them. Kazuki walked over to the window.

"I think we have some guests."

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Tidbit of the day: I did research for the story! Really! When writing the bit about Kazuki's apartment I realized I didn't know if Braille existed in other languages. I went to wikipedia to see if there was Japanese Braille and founda page about it (fanfiction, however freaked out when I treid to link it). Apparently it does exist. You learn something new everyday!


	4. Ginji Gets Sad, Ban Gets Confused

Hi! Sorry it's been so long.

And by the by, I've only seen about 30 episodes of GetBackers. There won't be much plot. And sorry if it's kind of out of character.

Unexpected Consequences: Chapter 4

_Ginji and Ban found string wrapped tightly around them. Kazuki walked over to the window._

_"I think we have some guests,"_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Hi Kazu-chan!" Ginji chirped, seeming completely unaware of his situation.

"Hello Ginji. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Kazuki asked pleasantly, although the strings remained as tight as ever.

"Oh, Ban-chan and I were wondering-"

"Ginji!" Ban hissed. There was no way he was letting that damn Kazuki know why they were here. He wasn't sure if he'd laugh at them or attack them, and he wasn't looking to find out. And he couldn't stand that smug look Juubei was giving the space on the wall three feet to his left.

"They'll help us Ban-chan!" Ginji said with looking at Ban with a pleading look.

Damn it. He could never resist that look. Ban groaned. Ginji beamed. He always knew how to get Ban to do what he wanted.

"We want to know how to be gay," Ginji announced.

Kazuki blinked. The strings fell to the ground. He looked to Ginji, who was smiling shyly, and Ban who was blushing and looking down.

"Congratulations," Juubei said with a smile, startling them all. "Kazuki and I always knew the two of you would wind up together."

"What?" Ban said, confused. "Ew, gross, we aren't really gay. We just want to pretend we are to impress the ladies."

"Ban-chan!" Ginji interjected angrily.

"What!" Ban replied testily.

"Out," Kazuki stated firmly, his eyes glowing madly.

"Kazuki," Juubei whispered. He took Kazuki's hand in his, gently stroking his palm with his thumb. Kazuki gave Juubei a pained look, forgetting that Juubei wouldn't see it. Juubei addressed Ginji and Ban much more harshly than he had Kazuki "We'll be in the other room. We have something to discuss."

Hands still clasped, the pair retreated to their bedroom, the faint tinkling of Kazuki's bells following them the short distance. When it stopped, Ban made to get up and listen at the door.

"No," Ginji said firmly, grabbing Ban's arm.

"What do you mean no?" Ban said with a glare.

"You just insulted them, Ban. I don't- I don't think we should do this anymore. Now it just seems… mean," Ginji said with a deep sigh.

"What do you mean it seems mean? You were all excited about it yesterday. I don't see how anything has changed!" Ban said, clearly frustrated. If he was completely honest with himself, he would admit that he didn't think this plan would work. It had sounded good last night, but now it seemed entirely ridiculous. However, they had already gotten this far, and there was no way he was going to back down.

He's never slept better than he had the night before. He'd never felt so warm, so cared for. Having something to protect had always scared him before; he hadn't wanted anything in his way. With Ginji he had someone who would watch out for him as well. He was twice as safe, and so was Ginji. And now… he didn't know why, but he knew he wanted this plan to succeed. He guessed his feelings for Ginji must have changed. It appeared he no longer thought of him as just his best friend.

Now Ginji was more like a brother to him. Ban guessed he and Ginji had grown so close, that he wanted happiness for Ginji no matter what he had to do for it. That must be why he actually felt happy when this whole experiment started.

"Ban," Ginji started, bringing him back to the present. "Kazu-chan and Juubei are some of my best friends, and you just insulted them. It's not like it's even a big deal. Sometimes- you know, it doesn't matter. You don't have to know, because if you love someone enough, then you don't care. Maybe this whole thing is an insult to, you know, people like them."

"I'm not trying to hurt anyone. And Ginji- I don't love them. Hell, I don't even like them. I put up with them because they're your friends. They can do whatever they want; I don't care. Just- not us."

"You said it was gross. And it's not. Just because you aren't- that doesn't mean it isn't okay." Ginji was frantic now.

"Ginji- oh fuck, are you crying?" Ban roughly pulled Ginji to his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around him, leaning down to whisper harshly in his ear "Hey, cut it out. It's fine, Ginji, everything's okay. I don't think anybody's gross. I'm not talking about anyone, okay? I didn't mean it like that."

"Ban-chan," Ginji whispered, his voice still edged with tears.

They heard a gentle ringing sound, followed by the opening of a door. Kazuki walked out into the room, his partner next to him.

"We've decided we'll help you," Kazuki announced, as he turned the corner into their main room.

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The next chapter should be soon or something.

Next time- it finally gets gay! (Finally- time for my GetBackers OTP to take the spotlight!)


	5. Everything Will Be Alright

Finally- the part I _really_ want to write.

Major, major sap. Like seriously. Of the Juubei/Kazuki variety (OMG, OTP!)

_"Out," Kazuki stated firmly, his eyes glowing madly. _

"_Kazuki," Juubei whispered. He took Kazuki's hand in his, gently stroking his palm with his thumb. Kazuki gave Juubei a pained look, forgetting that Juubei wouldn't see it. Juubei addressed Ginji and Ban much more harshly than he had Kazuki "We'll be in the other room. We have something to discuss."_

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The door shut behind them, and Kazuki led Juubei to their bed. They'd slept in the same bed (when there were beds) since his family died, barring the time they spent apart, when Kazuki left Infinity Fortress. After he's first left Infinity fortress he's been unable to sleep for several nights. Often he'd considered returning, if only for a full night of sleep.

They hadn't been lovers, not at first. The shift from friends to lovers had been so gradual, that even they hadn't noticed it. Kazuki decided it had happened on his sixteenth birthday, when they first kissed (at midnight- a tradition they always repeated), but Juubei always said it was four days before, when Kazuki accidentally licked his left eyebrow (Juubei had gotten ice cream on his cheek; Kazuki leaned over to lick it off, got nervous, and missed). Every year they celebrated their anniversary twice, because neither would give in to the other.

When Ginji learned of their relationship, he's been ecstatic. Ginji had wanted nothing more than for his best friends to be happy. Kazuki admired that in Ginji, and wished he could feel something similar regarding Ginji and Ban's relationship. Happiness for Ginji had always seemed like the most important thing… and then he'd met Ban. Ban was loud, crude, and rude. He was never polite, not even to Ginji. He couldn't help Ginji financially, and he was always making Ginji upset. Although he wasn't very fond of Ban either, Juubei could separate his feeling, knowing Ginji was happy.

Kazuki had never liked Ban, but he had never hated him as he did now. The blondes love for Ban had been evident upon Kazuki's first meeting of him. He'd seen the look in his eyes, and he knew immediately it was the same look he had in his eyes when he saw Juubei. Since the beginning he'd thought Ginji and Ban were perfect together, and even though he didn't like Ban he could stand him, because he was Ginji's. But now? It was clear that Ginji was unaware of the depth of his feelings towards Ban, but when he understood them, and that they weren't reciprocated, he'd be crushed.

"What's on your mind?" Juubei asked, squeezing Kazuki's hand gently. Kazuki hadn't realized they were still holding hands.

"I don't want him to get hurt. Ban's not dumb. He has to know that Ginji loves him. If he doesn't love him back, then what is he still doing with him?" Kazuki sighed. He leaned into Juubei's side. Strong yet gentle fingers stroked his long hair.

"I still think he does," Juubei said softly.

"Then why- he said it was gross," Kazuki said.

"I seem to remember when your mother explaining the 'facts of life' to you, and you told me it sounded like the 'most disgusting thing in the world' and that you'd never do it. I believe that may have changed a little since then."

Kazuki laughed, and Juubei smiled, softly.

"You're starting to understand humour, aren't you?" (Juubei didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't trying to joke) "And I seem to remember my mother telling me something _slightly _different than what we do… But I don't think that's the same. He was genuinely disgusted, Juubei, and-"

"He wasn't talking about us," Juubei asserted, knowing what Kazuki was really worried about. Kazuki sighed.

"But what if he was? What if he thinks we're gross?" Kazuki whispered, burying his face in Juubei's shoulder.

"Do you think this is wrong?"

"How can you even ask that?" Kazuki cried, pulling his head up so his eyes would meet Juubei's (because even though he wouldn't be able to see it, Kazuki knew that Juubei could always feel his gaze). "I _love _you. There could never be anything wrong with that!"

"Then what does it matter what Ban thinks?" Juubei asked, cupping Kazuki's cheek with his hand.

"It's a game to him! He doesn't- this is _our_ life, this is real! It could just as easily be his life, if he were willing to accept it. All he's going to do is hurt Ginji, and I can't watch it happen. He's been through enough."

"I don't think it is a game to him. Maybe it started out that way, but both of them seem to find this charade appealing. Something good will result from this."

"I don't know," Kazuki whispered.

"How happy will Ginji be if this works out correctly? I think we should try," Juubei stated. Kazuki looked down to his shoes.

"Am I allowed to tease them?" Kazuki asked childishly.

"If it will make you feel better," Juubei answered solemnly. Kazuki smiled brightly. Juubei brought his hands to Kazuki's cheeks, tracing his smile, before smiling gently and whispering in Kazuki's ear "You have the most beautiful smile."

"I'm so sorry," Kazuki whispered, his shoulder shaking with sobs, though no tears fell. Kazuki found himself lifted from the bed and into Juubei's lap, Juubei's arms firmly around him.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. This is my punishment for betraying you," Juubei admonished softly. An attempt at protest died on Kazuki's lips. Their lips pressed together softly. "I don't need to see you, anyway. I had you memorized long ago. I don't need sight to know you're beautiful."

"Juubei… I want to help them," Kazuki whispered, their lips inches apart. Juubei gave him another short kiss. After standing up and straightening his shirt as best he could, Kazuki took Juubei's arms and led him out the door.

We've decided we'll help you," Kazuki announced, as he turned the corner into their main room.

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Next chapter- perhaps over MLK Jr. Weekend (14-16), perhaps February 16-20, maybe not until spring break (late March)

_Juubei always said it was four days before, when Kazuki accidentally licked his left eyebrow (Juubei had gotten ice cream on his cheek; Kazuki leaned over to lick it off, got nervous, and missed) _Someone, _please_ write this fic. I've had this scene stuck in my head since I wrote that line, but I have no idea how it would play out.


	6. Sleepover!

Disclaimer (because I forgot): GetBackers is owned by someone other than me.

The last thing Kazuki expected to see when he walked into the main room of his apartment… was probably not a hiccupping Ginji being held by Ban, tears still in his eyes. He'd admittedly seen more surprising things in his life (he still wished he had a camera when he walked in on Emishi watching Titanic and crying like a little girl). That did nothing to diminish his shock, however. He supposed it probably didn't look very dignified to stand there with his mouth open as he did, but he simply couldn't help himself.

He had never seen Ban so… gentle. There was still a rough edge to it, as there was with everything involving Ban, but Kazuki knew he was trying. The protective way his arms were placed around Ginji, the way he was whispering something into Ginji's ear Kazuki couldn't quite make out…

"It appears the two of you don't need any help after all," Kazuki noted, a devilish gleam in his eyes. Ban and Ginji jumped apart. Juubei looked mildly confused.

"Hey! It was nothing like that!" Ban protested, but the telling blush against his cheeks easily gave him away.

"Did you want to explain what it was about?" Kazuki asked, seating himself on the arm of a worn armchair next to the loveseat Ginji and Ban were currently occupying. Juubei sat on the seat of the armchair.

"What's going on?" Juubei asked, still looking puzzled.

"Ginji had something in his eye, and I was helping him get it out," Ban said at the same time Kazuki supplied "They were having a 'moment.'"

"We were not!" Ban shrieked.

"You're going to help us, Kazu-chan?" Ginji interrupted, suddenly looking much less teary.

"You don't need help," Kazuki said firmly, continuing quickly before an angry looking Ban could protest. "You know what romance is. You've both had it before. This isn't any different. Do what comes naturally."

"But this isn't natural-" Ban stated, before correcting himself upon receiving an angry glare from Kazuki (who fell into Juubei's lap when Juubei grabbed his arm to keep him from lunging at Ban) "for us."

"You might surprise yourselves," Juubei said, and everyone knew the conversation was over. The group sat in silence for a few moments.

"We should probably get back to the car, it's getting dark out," Ban stated, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"It's been such a cold winter; you can stay the night. We have a guest room." Kazuki offered. Ban opened his mouth to protest (he was beginning to feel very strange), when Kazuki said "I'm making pasta for dinner."

"Kazu-chan!" Ginji cheered leaping at Kazuki in his tare form. He landed in Kazuki's lap, causing Juubei to wince in surprise. Kazuki stood up, still holding a miniature Ginji at the waist between his hands.

"I believe this is yours," he said, holding Ginji out to Ban.

"Uh, thanks," Ban said dumbly, placing Ginji on the ground. Ginji ran around the floor, before resuming his normal size, and his seat on the sofa next to Ban.

"Juubei, can you show them the closet with the extra sheets while I start dinner?" Kazuki called from the kitchen (which was separated from the main room by a countertop).

"Alright," Juubei replied. He led the two of them into a small hallway with four doors (two bed rooms, a bathroom, and a closet). He opened one of the doors and handed Ginji a set of sheets. He led them to another door, opening it. "Here's the guest bedroom. We haven't washed the sheets since Sakura was here a few days ago." He said, stripping the bed. "The bathroom's across the hall."

Juubei left the room with the dirty sheets in tow. Ban flopped back on the bed temporarily ignoring the sheets. He could still hear Juubei's footsteps in the hall.

"Damn, these walls are thin. They'd better not plan on _doing_ anything tonight," Ban said, taking his lighter out.

"No smoking in the apartment," Juubei said loudly from the other bedroom.

"There are strings in every one of these rooms," Kazuki called pleasantly from the kitchen.

Ban sighed loudly, dejectedly putting his lighter back into his pocket.

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Juubei met Kazuki in the kitchen right after he deposited the sheets into the hamper. He heard the faint tinkling of bells, as Kazuki turned to face him. He approached Kazuki from behind, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"How are you?" he whispered into Kazuki's ear. Kazuki felt a familiar (and pleasant) shiver run down his spine. Kazuki turned around, throwing his arms around Juubei's neck and standing on his toes to greet his lover with a kiss.

"I'm fine" he replied as firmly as he could. Juubei could always tell when things were wearing on him, no matter how effectively he thought he was hiding it. And he _was_ feeling better. He liked doing things to help Ginji, even though his gut told him Ginji could and should take care of himself.

"Anything I can do to make it better than fine?" Juubei asked, pulling Kazuki closer by his hips. Kazuki giggled and leaned closer. Their noses were touching, and they could feel their breath mingling. Juubei's cheeks flushed lightly in anticipation.

"Could you," Kazuki began in his most seductive voice "stir the vermicelli for me? It's the front burner on the left."

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Ban heard giggling from the kitchen and groaned.

"Those two…" he sighed. He knew that he shouldn't care. Juubei and Kazuki could do whatever they wanted and it didn't affect him. But right here? He could hear them. Being so close to the two of them, seeing how happy they were… Thinking about it hurt. It was alright before he knew that they were gay (the word resonated in his mind, loud as thunder).

But now? It couldn't be ignored. He'd never let himself linger on it before. He was Ban Midou. He was too strong to be gay. Sure, he liked art and music a little bit, but he certainly didn't have a lisp. He'd never had the urge to call his friends "girlfriend", and he'd never wanted to wear a dress. Homosexuality had never been real and present to him.

But it was Juubei and Kazuki. And even though Kazuki looked almost exactly like a girl ("He has child-bearing hips!" Ban had once told Ginji) he really wasn't one. Both were strong and fierce. They didn't wear rainbow short-shorts and have limp wrists. They were… normal. Knowing that people who were that normal and similar to himself and Ginji could be like that terrified him. It made him think it wouldn't be so terrible if this wasn't all a game.

He didn't like being there. There was a strange feeling in the air, and he hated it.

"It was really nice of them to let us stay here," Ginji murmured directly into his pillow. He been lying like that for quite a while, and Ban had thought he was asleep.

"Yeah," Ban agreed grudgingly.

"I like it here. You can tell they're really happy." Ginji said, turning his head so Ban could hear him. Ban grunted in response. Ginji was about to respond when he heard a knock on the door.

"Dinner is ready!" Kazuki called.

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I'm actually updating this a lot faster than I expected I usually don't stick with stories very well, so I'm sort of proud that this one is still going. I'd hoped it would be 10 chapters and an epilogue, but these guys are totally clueless. It looks like they'll need more time then that. And this fic is happening in like January/December.


	7. The Sexy One

Notes: It's been a while. Sorry. As an apology, this chapter gets a little sexy (was going to write it anyway). Sorry there's absolutely no Ginji/Ban in this chapter. Kazuki and Juubei have stolen the story.

Dinner began as one on the most uncomfortable experiences Ban had ever had. Neither Juubei nor Kazuki said much to begin with. Ginji seemed happy just to get a good meal in, but Ban felt strange. Kazuki kept looking at him oddly. He wanted to say something (preferably yell something), but he knew that would wind up with himself and Ginji back on the streets. Interrupting Ginji's meal meant almost certain death.

"Oh, wow, thanks Kazuki!" Ginji said, wiping pasta sauce from his mouth. He'd already managed to eat a good portion of the pasta, and several pieces of garlic bread.

"You're welcome, Ginji," Kazuki replied with a bright smile. He really did like having Ginji around, even if it did mean cooking four times as much as he usually did. Ginji filled the house with energy, like a puppy. He also tended to cause messes and drag in things Kazuki didn't particularly want in his house. "Ban, you've hardly touched your food. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, fine… _thanks_," Ban said, father forcedly. He finished his dinner quickly (because while Ginji had managed to eat twice the food in half the time, Juubei and Kazuki were still eating). It was one of the strangest situations Ban had ever found himself in. The strangest thing of all was Juubei and Kazuki. It was no wonder he hadn't spotted their relationship. They'd barely touched. They weren't constantly all over each other. They were… normal. Normal gays. It felt weird even to think.

The rest of dinner was relatively uneventful. Before long the four of them were in front of Kazuki's tiny television set. Some action movie was on; Ginji had picked. Kazuki had his head on Juubei's shoulder, and was telling him what was going on. Ban was feeling mildly uncomfortable.

"He's using throwing stars now… they look kind of like Ban's head," Kazuki reported to Juubei. Juubei smiled.

"They do not!" Ban cried in retaliation.

"He's sort of right," Ginji said thoughtfully. He knew Ban was just being difficult, like he always was. Ban simply didn't like any of Ginji's friends (although if the truth was told Ban didn't like many people who weren't Ginji). Kazuki had tried to get along with Ban, or at least as well as he tried with anyone.

"I'm always right," Kazuki replied. Juubei rubbed his hand against Kazuki's shoulder, the smile still on his face. No one denied what Kazuki had said.

Ban rolled his eyes and scoffed. They continued watching television.

"Ooh, I love this part!" Ginji called out. A huge fight had broken out between the main character and a group of street thugs in the middle of a crowded street market.

"Why are you watching a movie you've already seen?" Ban asked. They didn't get to see movies very often, so he couldn't understand wanting to watch the same thing over and over again.

"Because I like it," Ginji replied. "And you haven't seen it before, have you?"

Ban didn't reply. He focused his attention back on the movie. Really, it wasn't even that good of a movie. He didn't understand why Ginji liked it so much. The fighting wasn't even very realistic. It didn't make sense that Ginji wanted to watch a movie about fighting in the time when he wasn't fighting, anyway. Ban's thoughts were interrupted by a loud yawn.

"I thought you said you liked this part," Ban said. Ginji looked like he was going to fall asleep at any moment.

"It's probably time for me to be getting to bed anyway," Kazuki broke in. "I have work early tomorrow morning."

Ginji lead a slightly reluctant and very awake Ban to the bedroom they were sharing as Kazuki switched off the television. Juubei followed him out of the living room and into the hallway. He waited outside while Kazuki brushed his teeth and washed his face (among Kazuki's list of eccentric rules was that they were never to be in the bathroom together, for any reason). After letting Kazuki finish getting ready for bed and getting himself ready for bed, he went to the bedroom.

Juubei stood in the door frame, hearing Kazuki move about the room. It was nice, the pleasantly familiar tinkling of bells he heard whenever Kazuki moved. He took another step forward.

"Shut the door and come to bed," Kazuki called. Juubei walked a few steps before he felt a gentle hand on his bicep. He took his shoes off and began to remove his shirt to get ready for bed, but he felt nimble fingers beat him to it. He sat down on the edge of the bed, found Kazuki's chin, and pulled him in for a kiss. He was still unsure of Kazuki's intentions until Kazuki pulled him up against his (also bare) chest. Kazuki always slept in his pajamas, unless they'd gotten up to something before bed.

"And what did I do to deserve this?" Juubei asked, running one long finger from Kazuki's throat to just below his navel.

"You always deserve this," Kazuki replied, making quick work of removing Juubei's pants. "I just wanted some time alone tonight."

"I like alone time," Juubei murmured. It was always difficult to think when Kazuki was this close. Their lips met and Juubei felt… hair in his mouth. He removed a hair tie from his arm (because with Kazuki as a lover, he never knew when he'd need one) and pulled Kazuki's hair into a messy ponytail. He knew he missed a few strands when he felt a soft tickling sensation on his shoulders.

"Maybe I should cut it," Kazuki teased, making sure the tips of his ponytail brushed Juubei's chest as he pulled away to get something from a drawer. He laughed when Juubei gaped at him in apparent horror. "Or maybe not."

And even though Kazuki was unusually loud that night, Juubei said nothing; they both knew Ginji was a heavy sleeper.


	8. Progress, finally

Notes: You see what had happened was…

No, I just got lazy. By the way, I've also posted a rewrite of chapter one. It's the same stuff, just written better.

This is also set two or three years after the series, just so Juubei and Kazuki can be more settled and otherwise gay-married and Ginji and Ban have the time to recover from whatever big badness I'm sure happened at the end of the series. Thanks.

When Ban finally got to the spare room he was sharing with Ginji, the blonde had his back facing the door and was pretending to sleep. He knew that he was awake, because Ginji always snored when he slept. This was something Ginji liked to deny, so it was obviously something he wouldn't do when pretending to be asleep. Ban silently undressed, leaving just his boxers on before slipping into bed behind Ginji.

"Why did you pretend to be tired?" Ban demanded. Ginji started breathing louder. "Damn it, I know you aren't asleep!"

"Because it was weird, Ban!" Ginji whispered. Ban knew that Ginji was being serious when Ginji didn't add '-chan' at the end of his name. "Didn't you feel like we were interrupting something?"

"We _are_ interrupting something," Ban replied, not without a hint of bitterness. It wasn't that he liked Kazuki or Juubei. He knew if it was just him, he would never want to speak with them. He didn't like being in their house, he didn't like trying to have a conversation with them, and he certainly didn't like hearing strange giggles from the kitchen. But they were Ginji's friends. If working with Ginji meant spending time with his strange friends, he was up for it.

"It's just… they're happy! This is their home. They live together, and cook together, and talk about how your hair looks funny together." Ban growled. "And I know that I should be happy for them, but all I can think is that I can't have this."

"What the hell do you mean, you can't have this? Do you want to get rid of me so much?" Ban growled, turning his back to Ginji.

"Ban-chan! I don't want to get rid of you. I just… want something more than my best friend and a car."

Neither spoke for a few moments. Ban had never had any idea that Ginji felt that way. He knew that this wasn't what he had expected for the future, either. He'd expected to have made enough money by now that sleeping in a real bed for one night wouldn't mean having to stay at someone else's house.

"I never wanted to live like them," Ban finally replied softly. "I like dates, but I never wanted one girl. I don't want to settle down, like they have. There isn't one girl who wouldn't piss me off too much. It's not like I want to live in the ladybug forever; I just figured that when we make it big it'll still be you and me."

"It's not like I figured we'd ever be apart," Ginji replied softly. He'd learned to savor the times that Ban opened up to him, and knew it wouldn't be long until he was his gruff self again. Another few moments passed in silence before Ginji gained courage. He wrapped his arm around Ban.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ban asked, but without heat, without pulling himself away.

"I don't know," Ginji confessed. "But I know that there isn't anyone else that I could do this with."

Ban knew that this should be wrong. He knew that being like this with another man probably earned him a first class ticket to Homosville. But even more frightening was the knowledge that he didn't care. Snuggling like this with Ginji was _normal_. He unconsciously backed against Ginji's chest. He didn't mind that Ginji's finger had started running up and down his arm. In fact, it was really nice.

Suddenly, they heard a loud moan. Neither said a word, but Ginji's hand stopped halfway down Ban's arm. Another cry pierced the silence.

"They didn't do this at the Infinity Fortress, did they?" Ban asked.

"I don't think so. Not when I was within earshot, anyway. They were young when they got there, too. They probably hadn't…" Ginji trailed off. Both were blushing fiercely. Neither seemed to notice that they were still pushed firmly against one another. Ginji remembered where his arm was, and his cheeks reddened further, but he did not move. It wasn't long before both ignored the sounds from the next room and fell asleep.

Kazuki woke the next morning and stretched. He definitely shouldn't have done that last night. He wasn't lying when he said he had to work early. Still, it was nice. Living together for two years meant that their sex life had all but disappeared. It was important to know that they could still be spontaneous like that. Still, his back was reminding him that it had been while a while since he had bent that way. He had half a mind to call off work and just stay with Juubei all morning, but he knew that was ridiculous. He gave his sleeping lover a peck on the cheek and went to shower.

Kazuki returned from the shower an hour later, having finished blow-drying his hair as well. He usually took showers at night, but with Ginji and Ban, he hadn't had the time. He had to wake up at five to have enough time to make sure his hair was dry before he got to work. He went to Ginji and Ban's room to make sure they hadn't left. He grinned when he saw them. He went to the hallway to get his camera.

Ginji Amano and Ban Midou were snuggling. That's right. The lightning emperor, who had struck fear in the hearts of so many and Ban Midou, the man with the snake bite and evil eye were canoodling in his spare bedroom. It would have been scandalous, if it wasn't so adorable. It was times like these that he really wished Juubei had his sight back. Times like these and times like last night. He blushed. Usually, his mind wasn't in the gutter like this.

After three snapshots, Kazuki went to the kitchen to make breakfast. He knew that Ban and Ginji would be up as soon as they smelled breakfast.

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Ban woke shortly after. He felt something warm against his back. He was also unusually comfortable. He opened his eyes. No, he certainly wasn't in the ladybug. '_Did I get laid?' _ he wondered. As much as he would never admit it, it would have been a first. He was young when he'd first met Ginji, and after that it had been the two of them in the ladybug. He didn't really have the privacy for sex. He rolled over and nearly fell out of the bed at what he saw. It was _Ginji_. 'Of course it's Ginji,' he thought 'It's always Ginji.'

The memories of the night before slowly came back to him. They were at Juubei and Kazuki's house. Kazuki had cooked for them, let them stay… and then had loud, kinky sex in the room right next door. And during this, Ginji had spooned him. Ban quickly scooted to the far edge of the bed. He needed a shower.

This was all too much. He never should have suggested this. It was getting just a little too real. Snuggling with Ginji had been nice. Kissing him had even been nice. And it terrified him. This was the last thing he needed. But he knew that no matter how confusing his feelings got (or even worse, if they were to get any clearer) he would always have Ginji in his life. Ginji was his best friend. Stupid hormones weren't going to stop anything like that. He knew that this was a phase many people went through. And since he'd never had time to go through it when he was younger, it made sense that he was going through it now. It would all be over soon.

Ban followed his nose to the kitchen. Kazuki was working on something on the stove and appeared to be already dressed for work. Ban suddenly realized that he had no idea where Kazuki worked. Wherever it was, it involved an apron.

"Oh, Ban," Kazuki said lightly, not even turning around. "I'll be done cooking soon. You can wake Ginji up when you go to get dressed. The shower is free; towels are in the cabinet across the hall."

"Um… thanks," Ban replied, suddenly feeling extremely awkward. Kazuki stopped cooking and turned to face Ban, a slight smile on his face.

"You're welcome," he replied, before turning back to the pot he had been stirring.

Ban turned around quickly. Why did Ginji's friends have to be so weird?


End file.
